I’ve also developed quite an infatuation with meat flavored potato chips. A lot of you know my adoration for bacon and would imagine my sheer delight when I came across Bacon Pep, a potato flavored puff reminiscent of a pork rind. Wow. I had to purchase it. I walked up to the cashier, and asked him very seriously (hoping to get a review for Emeril) what his feelings were toward Bacon Pep. He just laughed and shook his head and told me that I owed him a euro fifty. Can you believe it? The nerve.

Don’t worry I didn’t eat the whole bag.I ate the rest the next day for breakfast.

Last Thursday a group of us went to the International Bar/Comedy Club and saw some stand-up. Some of the acts were very good and a few, invariably, were very bad. I was very impressed with the audience though, during the ones that fell flat, there was never any heckling, everyone dutifully courtesy laughed. During the headlining act I got pulled on stage by a comedian with crazy hair, and a hilariously creepy sense of humor. He sat me down and serenaded me with his guitar. I also got brought up two more times. One for a hip-hop dance with him and an American MC. The third time was for the bow. It was hilarious.

DUN LAOGHAIRE: THE LAND OF MAGIC AND RAINBOWS

Honestly, this place is magic. I saw a rainbow in it’s entirety. It didn’t dissolve into the clouds, it was the entire arc. Last Saturday, five of us went to Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Leary…like Dennis Leary) for a free outdoor screening of The Shawshank Redemption. We got there and wandered around for a while before the film started. We came across this narrow rock wall (about three feet wide) and we ran out on it. The waves were crashing at our feet and we screamed every time it did so. The clouds were pink, the sun was setting, and it was perhaps one of best things I have ever done. I will always remember it. Next, we wandered over to the park where the movie was taking place and sat on some damp grass. It started raining during the movie but we didn’t care.

That night we went to this place called The Globe on George St. (close to us, but not in Temple Bar) We had a very good time and met a lot of truly amazing people. About halfway into the night, my friend Sarah came over to me and pointed out that Glen Hansard was talking to the DJ. Well…surprisingly, I remained relatively composed. I did not leap on him with glee. For those of you who don’t know, Glen Hansard is this amazingly talented musician who starred in the film Once, and is in the band The Frames. Once is a really amazing, low budget Irish film about two musicians. It really should be seen by all, I promise you will not regret it. It is mesmerizing. I was one Guinness for the better and decided I was going to go talk to him and tell him how amazing he was. So I did.

Here’s the two of us soaking in the Irish countryside.

Carmen and I also went on the tour of the austere Trinity College. The grass was freakishly green and the buildings amazingly collegiate. We saw the Book of Kells, which was truly incredible.

SOME FUTURE PLANS: This weekend I’m going to Cork where I will kiss the Blarney Stone. I also have booked tickets and am going to Barcelona, Italy, and Paris for Fall break. Other future weekend trips include Galway, Belfast, Scottland, Amsterdam, and London.

Cheers to you all! I miss you, and thanks for reading!

A few facts about Ireland:*Many Irish are cold, but few freeze. *The ducks float backwards in the Liffey.*It takes approximately five hours to wash our clothes in the washing machine. The concept of a dryer does not exist. Period. We hang dry.*The potato is not indiginous to Ireland and was brought over from South America.

Lexorcist~I absolutely love your blogs. Don't make us wait too long for the next one. Have you found Bono yet for me? Tell him I have his Rolling Stone cover from 1987 hanging in my laundry room. If he asks why it's in the laundry room, tell him that I have 3 boys and it's the room that I'm in the most every single day of my life.Love and miss you.Auntie Kiki